Why do witches/pagans still get portrayed in an outdated and evil stereotype manner?

[Soluna]

(and the next image(s) as well) As a European Pagan I find these to be upsetting and unwanted stereotypes, from an open minded and modern company like Blizzard (I expected better or more nuances at least)... I can see the image of the bad witch, is still deeply engrained in American culture sadly...

So wait, what would you like the witches to be? Sexy sailor moon girls shooting rainbows out of their buttholes?

[Aoyi]

Witches are not the same as pagans. Witches were an accusation of being evil/devil worshipers/magic users of the past. Often, pagans were lumped in with that, but being a Pagan does not make one a witch. If you are claiming to be a witch/Wiccan and then choosing to be offended I don't know what to say other than research more about when the whole Wiccan thing started. If you have no association with calling yourself one of those, then I'm confused as to why the archetype of a witch is bothering you. A Celt is not a witch. A nature worshiper is not a witch. Witchcraft is not a religion.

[Khrux]

Is this thread for real? People will complain about anything.

[gcsmith]

(and the next image(s) as well) As a European Pagan I find these to be upsetting and unwanted stereotypes, from an open minded and modern company like Blizzard (I expected better or more nuances at least)... I can see the image of the bad witch, is still deeply engrained in American culture sadly...

Or... or... they could just want to go for the evil "Macbeth" witches.

[jimlow]

Nobody cares about witches or how they are portrayed. The only people that even think about witches/witchcraft are edgy pre-teens that do it to either piss off their conservative parents or to pretend they are rebels, because of their utter lack of anything resembling a personality.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Because they are actual witches?

Annnnnnnnddddd thread.

[Shibito]

To be honest, you could ask why are there still a lot of stereotypes?

The fact remains it's just standard.

It sucks but what you're suffering is probably how millions of Muslims feel when they are branded terrorists when they're not.

Could turn on that all white straigh males are branded evil cause white male and straight.

[Ahlae]

Change out "Witch" with "Muslim" or "Islam" , or "Christian" and see how fast it gets changed. Just saying. Same theory here, you're implying all 'witches' are bad and all 'witchraft' is bad and if you did the same with other things basically the whole world would be pissed.

Are Warlocks not technically evil, Fel and all? Why are they not being sentenced? If a DK, or a Warlock tries to go do that town do they get attacked?

[KrakHed]

I'm pretty sure even "pagan" religions often have a distinction between good magic-users and evil ones. It's not even a phenomena limited to European cultures. Has "Witch" ever even had positive connotations?

A large number of the Priests, Shaman, Druids, and stuff are already represented in a positive light, and are basically "pagan" as vague as that label is.

[The One Percent]

Hmm smells like heresy to me.

[Psykho]

Change out "Witch" with "Muslim" or "Islam" , or "Christian" and see how fast it gets changed. Just saying. Same theory here, you're implying all 'witches' are bad and all 'witchraft' is bad and if you did the same with other things basically the whole world would be pissed.

Are Warlocks not technically evil, Fel and all? Why are they not being sentenced? If a DK, or a Warlock tries to go do that town do they get attacked?

How would you react to a dark magic user powerful enough to take on every ass in the general area, who wants to help with your problems

[endersblade]

I'm pagan, Wiccan actually, and I have never once been offended by any of this stuff. I find it sort of silly that you do.

- - - Updated - - -

Has "Witch" ever even had positive connotations?

Yes. Anyone practicing Wicca is considered a witch. Even males. Warlocks, on the other hand, are usually what people would call the 'evil' witches, people who have more or less been kicked out of a coven.

[ATZenith]

I for one think we should stop portraying Dwarfs as stereotypical drunken short plumb men. Why can't they just be cleancut tall masculine men?

Or what about ogres? Why do they have to be ugly? Tired of these stereotypes. They need to be beautiful.

Elves should probably be really ugly. They had their fun...

You see? That is the lore foundation of this kind of stuff. Elves are 'pretty'. Ogres are brutes and are usually ugly.

Witches in a fantasy game are evil. Stop trying to be so SJW you are losing the point of a fantasy game.

[ReleaseDay]

As a European Pagan I find these to be upsetting and unwanted stereotypes

l stopped reading

[Deleted]

Brother, I agree with you, there are no evil witches and pagans. Only lost ones, still searching for the flames, to be cast into them, purged of sins. May Lord's light keep them warm in its shadow.

That being said, I think that Kul'tiras is heavily inspired by the Witcher series, slavic mythology to be precise. Witches in such bestiary were fierce creatures.

[Marrilaife]

Has "Witch" ever even had positive connotations?

Trolls have witch doctors and they are not more positive / negative than troll shamans or hexpriests. Tbh I'm not even sure what exactly are the differences between each of those titles / occupations in troll society.

Tbh no idea what OP means by "pagans" because in WOW half the races do not follow "holy light" so they would be considered "pagans" (Tauren, Trolls, Night Elves all have religions that resemble pagan religions).

Just because Gilneas and Kul Tiras is referencing 18-19 century England doesn't mean every culture / race in wow does.

For example Gnomes and Goblins are more like atheists that follow technology rather than deities.

[Deleted]

(and the next image(s) as well) As a European Pagan I find these to be upsetting and unwanted stereotypes, from an open minded and modern company like Blizzard (I expected better or more nuances at least)... I can see the image of the bad witch, is still deeply engrained in American culture sadly...

all religions are bad, deal with it and grow up and realize you can live without it.
ps: that picture is so bad I cant see why you have to post such a HUGE BLURED pictufre????

[kabshiel]

Let’s be real here: you’re not really pagan. You just want attention.

[Moralgy]

This is easily the most retarded thing I've read here in weeks.

Ehhh, there is a small, very very very small, movement of women taking "witchcraft" as a religion basically. That is the context of the comment. People on my fb were posting about it a few years back but never heard from it since then.

[endersblade]

Ehhh, there is a small, very very very small, movement of women taking "witchcraft" as a religion basically. That is the context of the comment. People on my fb were posting about it a few years back but never heard from it since then.

You can't be serious. I never took you for a troll. Small minded, I guess. Wicca is not a 'small' movement. Fuck, you people are extremely ignorant sometimes.